


Different Yet Similar

by Jaal_Ama_Darav



Category: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Exploring little known characters, Forerunners need more stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 19:55:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8858713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaal_Ama_Darav/pseuds/Jaal_Ama_Darav
Summary: A tale told, but not shown, of Riser and three Forerunners crash landed on Installation 07. And a very important lesson will be learned.





	1. Crash Landing

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based off of Riser's tale he told of when he was with three Forerunners, takes place during Halo: Primordium. Though I moved it in an Alternate Universe direction since I made some changes. 
> 
> Also Alternate Universe due to changes to Forerunner appearances. Since the appearance in Halo 4 didn't sit well with me for default Forerunner appearance. But the ones we see the faces of in Halo 4 being the result of artificially induced mutation? Perfectly fine with me. I know Forerunners weren't advanced Humans as some think, but I made them different yet similar. 
> 
> Credit for the inspiration goes to VisceralLuster on Deviantart. I was greatly inspired by her drawing of a Forerunner, apparently named Weight of Worlds. Which I felt was a much better design of a Forerunner.

Within one of the entrances to the docking tube leading from The Capital's interior to a Forerunner cruiser, three Forerunners stood.

The three, like most Forerunners, looked remarkably similar to Humans. However, in body shape and some external appearances only such as nose, ears, and the same number of limbs and digits. The similarities ended there. While they usually had hair on the top of their head like Humans, they also had fuzz on their faces, and males had fuzz on the back of their hands.

Shadow-Over-Eternal-Seas looked at Paradox-of-Light-and-Darkness and Tone-of-Sands-of-Time with yellow piercing eyes. "Take this one to our ship, and await further orders." His skin was gray, his hair and fuzz were green.

Tone stood at attention. "Yes, sir." His skin was green tinted with blue, blue fuzz and hair, and orange eyes.

Paradox did likewise, she swore Tone's voice hid the slightest bit of disgust. "Affirmative, sir." Her purple smooth skin, bright white hair and matching fuzz on her face, and deep but warm purple eyes being the most prominent features when she had her armor on.

Paradox and Tone walked to the floating gray ring-shaped structure holding a blue stasis bubble.

The being inside was known to the Forerunners as Chamanush, a sub species of Humans. Possessing more 'primitive' characteristics than baseline Humans- reduced mandible, lacking a chin, and a smaller cranial capacity along with a proportionally smaller brain. They also had a smaller stature at little over a meter tall with fur-like hair on the face and body.

Paradox took one side of the ring while Tone took the other, and walked down the halls while pulling it.

Halfway to their destination, far from Shadow, Tone looked at Paradox with disgust on his face and his voice a whisper. "Did you hear about what happened to the San'Shyuum? And about the Halo?"

Paradox looked at Tone momentarily, her voice a whisper too. "Yes. It's horrible. If the Librarian hadn't indexed them days before..." She bowed her head slightly. _He needs to be brought to justice for what he's done, and the other war crimes…_

As they walked through rooms and chambers, other Forerunners would look at them with curiosity, and some with disgust.

Paradox shook her head. _They most likely found out too._

* * *

The two Forerunners walked down a long and narrow silver well-lit hallway to the entrance tube which led to their ship. Holographic lights were spaced evenly across the ceiling.

They walked through the tube and through the airlock into the ship.

The interior was, like the exterior, silver in color though more decorated. Lines of black decorated the floor in Forerunner symbols, including the Mantle symbol at the center. Also known as the Eld, or Tree-Mark.

Paradox looked to the rear of the ship. "Over here."

The two guided the ring to the back of the room on the ship.

Paradox pressed several holographic buttons on the side of the ring. And a screen popped up. 'Magnetic interlock activated.'

The platform under the ring, which maintained its hovering state, lowered to the floor. It locked to the floor, nothing short of a severe crash landing would shake it loose now.

Tone turned to Paradox. "Any idea why Faber would want the Human as well as another one they found for their spirits?"

Paradox had heard of what happened. Two Humans were on the ship with Bornstellar and the Didact. Names currently unknown. The Didact and Bornstellar wouldn't tell their enemy anything.

She looked at Tone. "No idea. But I suspect its nothing good." She looked at the bubble. "We should wait outside for Shadow." She paused for a moment, looking at the bubble. _We should do something._

Tone did likewise. "We need to do something, Faber can't keep having his way."

Paradox nodded in silent affirmation.

The two left the ship to stand just outside the entrance to the tube, in the hallway.

* * *

Tone-of-Sands-of-Time started to pace back and forth in front of the entrance tube.

Paradox-of-Light-and-Darkness stood by the wall opposite Tone. "Something troubling you?"

Tone sighed deeply. "What if we're betraying everything we're supposed to stand for? We're supposed to be Warriors, not Builder Security!" He restrained a scream of anger. "And look what _he_ has done! Bringing a species to near extinction. And for what?!" His eyes hid intense inner turmoil.

Paradox had a look of surprise, Tone normally didn't lose his cool. "Shush!" Paradox looked down the other end of the well-lit hall. "If they heard you, they'd do bad things." Paradox looked remorseful, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know...we betrayed the Mantle, went against everything we stand for."

Tone sighed deeply, a sigh of exasperation, of one who was stuck where they didn't want to be. "This whole war, this whole situation, our society. It's all screwed up."

Paradox gave a weary smile and whispered. "True." She looked at Tone. "If the chance presents itself, we should just leave, and join the Lifeworkers and Warriors." She looked in the direction of the tube. "And take the one in the bubble with us. Whatever Faber has planned for the Humans, its likely nothing good."

Tone nodded. "We have to be careful. Do it wrong, and who knows what happens. I really wouldn't want to find out what he does to those that defect from his side."

Paradox shivered in her armor. "True, there's too many horrible punishments he could inflict." She pushed off the wall gracefully. "We should wait-"

The lights flickered, dimmed, and suddenly turned off. The darkness only lasted a millisecond, before the lights switched back on, replaced by eerie dim green lighting.

Paradox tried to reach for her weapon but found herself freeze just before touching her Boltshot. _My armor...its..._

Her and Tone's armors, colored white-silver with blue trim-lines, were locked up.

A voice appeared to come from everywhere. _"The time has come."_

Paradox gasped. "That voice!"Her eyes widened. B _etrayed us many ages ago. Why appear again? Why now?_

The voice seemed to come out of the walls. _"What you have spent many centuries building, I can destroy in seconds."_

Tone found his voice amongst his fear. "Why?! Why join the wretched parasite?!"

The voice became sinister and deep. _"After forty three years of conversing with the Gravemind, I came to the decision. Forerunners must be destroyed, they are a parasite upon the galaxy."_

Tone snorted. "Parasites? Us?" He glared. "Look at what the Flood are doing to us!"

The voice became demonic, drilling into the ears of listeners. _"The same as you do, nothing more, nothing less."_

Tone snarled. "Why do you think we're parasites?! **Tell** me!"

Paradox was surprised at the outburst, she'd never seen him get this angry.

" _Poor ignorant fool. You do realize your society is built upon lies and deceit. Keeping species that threaten you at a lower technological level, and de-evolving those that threatened you like Humans. It is too corrupt and broken. It must fall."_ It paused. _"The Didact?! Former friend, it's been a while..."_ The voice continued elsewhere, but the frozen state persisted.

Paradox came to a horrific realization. "Tone, he froze our armors! We're at his mercy!" She struggled but her armor was stiff as stone.

The voice echoed loudly. _"What! How did you know?! How di-"_

The green lighting reverted back to the normal white.

Paradox felt her armor slacken, and she was able to move again. "Appears the Didact knew the override code..."

Paradox and Tone heard their commander's voice through their built-in helmet communicator. "We're getting out of here, get the ship ready! Set the coordinates for Installation 07!"

Paradox ran down the gray tube followed by Tone. "Mendicant Bias. Really didn't expect him to return, not like that!" The airlock opened and the pair quickly ran into the ship with haste.

Paradox ran to the cockpit, sat in the dark brown seat, and started up the ship, and set the coordinates. Her fingers danced across the blue holographic displays.

Tone looked back at the stasis bubble close to the rear of the ship. "Still there."

Tone quickly took his seat and looked a Paradox.

She was almost done preparing the ship for takeoff.

Paradox saw the energy field, it was rippling. The only thing between the hangar and the cold, hard vacuum of space. The lights of the hangar were flickering, apparently having suffered damage.

Their captain, Shadow-Over-Eternal-Seas, quickly dashed into the ship, the airlock closing and locking behind him. "Take off, now!"

Paradox-of-Light-and-Darkness quickly flew the ship out of the hangar, and brought the ship between two of the world plates, two of many making up the vast Capital. She took the closest and shortest path to Installation 07. It dawned upon her why Shadow said to take off now and how he knew a Halo was there. Several of the massive Halos were present, landscapes within the rings' interior the most prominent thing. "By the Mantle…"

The proximity alarm sounded, despite them being hundreds of kilometers away from the station.

The cause for it was revealed when a spaceship flew right bast them, the pilots apparently fleeing in a blind panic.

Another ship intersected their path, resulting in a crash and a brilliant blue fireball.

_Oh no…_ Paradox knew why this was happening. An attack is one thing, but this...no wonder panic was sowed. She took evasive maneuvers to ensure they didn't join the many ships that crashed into each other.

Shadow looked at the being in the stasis bubble. "That one is important, Faber's orders are to land on that Halo and await his orders. No exceptions."

Paradox continued piloting the ship, many others like theirs were flying to the Halo that was her destination. Some were damaged with fire and smoke trailing, others weren't.

The three Forerunners could see the scope of the battle. Five of the currently twelve Halos were charging up.

Paradox's eyes widened. _There was only 11...wait!_ The horror dawned upon her. "Mendicant Bias! He's the one that stole a Halo!" She made sure the ship was aimed for Installation 07. "We have to land, or we're done for!"

Shadow snarled. "If we lose the Human...he's more valuable than you realize. Land with haste!"

Paradox had to withstand the urge to look back at their caption. _I know! When we get there..._

The three saw the remaining seven Halos try to escape into a gigantic slipspace portal. Five cruisers and two Fortress class ships flew out.

Fortress class ships were some of the largest Forerunner ships. One hundred kilometers in length, with a dome shaped rear, and a long 'tail' bristling with weapons and a large, powerful laser at the end.

The five cruisers flying past them were a lot sleeker and faster, though still heavily armed.

The ships engaged the Halos that were charging their weapons. Streams of energy were gathering at the center of the rings.

Hundreds of thousands of Weapon-Ships flew from the Fortresses at the Halos, while at the same time the massive ships fired their own weapons- lasers, plasma, and hardlight weapons.

The automated defenses of the Halos, controlled by the monitor to attack any threat to their installation regardless of intent, attacked the ships besieging their installations.

One of the rings headed towards the portal, sliding in. Another moved, and was close to entering.

A Fortress class emerged from the portal, and opened fire at point blank range at the Halo, intending to destroy the weapon.

It was successful in inflicting damage, however it sustained critical damage and was left floating while the Ring broke apart. One of the Halo's fragments struck and shattered the Fortress into many pieces. The other fragments were spinning around.

Installation 07 drew closer. While it wasn't under attack from any of the ships currently, dozens of sentinels were rushing to assist the other Halos' weapons and sentinels against the Forerunner ships.

Paradox looked at the charging weapons. "If any of those fire..." She grimaced at the thought.

Shadow looked at the situation. "Land, and we'll survive. There's only one thing that matters."

Paradox knew what he was talking about and glared slightly. _His life isn't the only one that matters. There are so many on the Capital! Even those who don't deserve to die._

The ship flew past one side of the Halo and descended towards the land below. The ship suddenly shook violently.

"We're hit!" Paradox looked at the control console and hit the status icon. It brought up the ship and she knew what happened. It was either enemy, or friendly, fire, and it scorched their rear and punctured the lower rear of the ship, taking out critical systems. The cockpit and area behind them with the stasis bubble were fine, for now.

The ship started to enter Installation 07's atmosphere. Flames of re-entry whooshed past the windows.

"Not good!" Paradox struggled with the controls. The hardlight decorations on the ship started to glow yellow and very bright, trying to stay despite the failing power and damage.

The ship hurtled through the skies of the Halo, trailing fire and smoke while mountains and grasslands flew past below.

Paradox struggled with the controls. "Hang on, we're going down soon!"

The hardlight decorations finally disappeared in bursts of sparkling orange sparks, leaving bare silver metal.

A vast desert stretched below, coming closer and closer while the ship dropped altitude.

Paradox saw the ground rushing up to meet them. "Brace for impact!" On reflex she threw up her hands to shield her face.

Crunching metal was heard. Paradox lurched forward, slamming into the control panel and losing consciousness. Before fading out, she heard Tone's pained gasp before he too had passed out. Their captain was already unconscious.


	2. Powder

Paradox-of-Light-and-Darkness slowly came to, her vision at first blurry before refocusing. She coughed slightly and eased herself into a sitting position, noticing she had fallen to the floor.

She stood up and walked to Tone's prone form, and sat down on one knee. She shook him. "Tone?"

Tone-of-Sands-of-Time's eyes slowly opened. He saw Paradox with a look of concern on her face. "Did I worry you? Would take a lot more than that." He sat up slowly. "Wonder about the commander..."

"A little." Paradox looked at where their commander was. He was awake judging from the movement of his head but sometime seemed wrong with his armor. She helped Tone to his feet and walked over to their commander.

Shadow-Over-Eternal-Seas struggled against his now useless armor. "Get me out of the armor, its locked up!"

Tone grinned. "Just leave him be." He bent down on one knee, fearless in the presence of his captain now entrapped. "We aren't loyal to Faber, our real loyalty lies with the Lifeworkers and Warriors. They, like us, uphold the Mantle, and we'll turn ourselves over to their cause, turn ourselves in if they demand so."

Shadow's expression was one of pure rage and anger. "You'll pay for this as soon as my armor unlocks!"

Paradox frowned slightly. "That is if we unlock your armor, but we'll adjust it so we can carry you." She looked at the prone form of their prisoner. "I'll check on him, you make the captain's armor portable."

Tone nodded. "Will do."

Paradox walked to Riser. The ring structure had a crack near the base, and it had been slightly dislodged as well, but still clinging partially to the magnetic interlock. _Likely cause of the malfunction._

Riser awoke and stood up quite quickly. He looked up to Paradox. "Armor bad, no blue lady."

Paradox looked at the armor, the usual lights were absent. "They must have removed the function and some others, due to being a prisoner."

Riser took his armor off, leaving just a black shirt and matching shorts. "No need for it."

Paradox nodded. "Understandable, and I can see you are not trying to run away, I kind of-"

Riser interrupted. "Expected me to? You nice. Your commander not. What of the big one?"

"Faber." Paradox couldn't help but glare at the name. The Master Builder was indeed quite large, he had undergone a few artificial mutations to increase his size and buff to an imposing thirteen feet. Paradox herself was only seven feet tall compared to Faber. "Tone-of-Sands-of-Time and I aren't truly loyal to him. He went against the Mantle and everything Forerunners should stand for, but many don't. Punishing the San'Shyuum by using a Halo..." She couldn't help but feel great sadness for them. "if the Librarian hadn't indexed them, they'd be extinct."

Paradox had noted how short Riser was compared to herself- three feet to her seven feet. "One thing to know is not all Forerunners are cruel or evil, will let mine and Tone's actions speak for themselves." She paused. "I believe I haven't said my name. Paradox-of-Light-and-Darkness. Yours?"

Riser looked up at Paradox. "Day-Chaser Makes Paths Long-stretch Morning Riser, can call me Morning Riser, or Riser."

_Quite a long name, and similar to our style._ "We need to figure out what to do, stay with me and Tone." Paradox went to the storage cupboards and manually opened them. She rummaged through the jumbled stuff within. "Aha, there. Water canteens." She grabbed one and shook it, hearing water slosh inside. "Here, you'll need it." She tossed it to Riser

Riser quickly caught it. "Thank you."

The Forerunner checked the rest she could find, and found nothing inside, not even water. "Must have been due for a refill..."

Riser gave Paradox a smile. "Kind Forerunner. Haven't seen one since the Lady and Bornstellar."

Tone approached the two. "Shadow is ready for transport. He gave me an earful but I told him I'd shut him up if I had to." He looked at the control panel for the communications near the controls. "Tried to raise others via ship and armor communications but nothing, just static."

"Good and bad news." Paradox turned to her comrade. "Good you didn't kill him. Will make him getting his dues that much sweeter. Bad that we can't get ahold of anyone."

Tone turned to the commander, still lying prone but straightened out so he could be carried like a plank of wood. "You open the door, I'll carry him, bear the brunt of more of his insults."

"Then we're set." Paradox walked to the hatch and saw sunlight filtering through. She stood to the side of it, pushed one side open, and wedged herself in between and pushed it all the way open. "There!" She looked outside, and saw they had crashed into a desert, a vast one with no end in sight.

Riser stood beside Paradox. "In the middle of nowhere aren't we? I'd get myself killed if I ran, death by thirst."

Paradox nodded. "Wearing armor with temperature regulators and I still can envision how hot it'd be." She jumped down to the ground followed by Riser. She looked down and saw her footsteps made footprints in the sand, and the sand was powdery tan-brown in color. _Powder sand? Haven't seen that in a while._ She contacted the ancilla within her armor. "Scan the ground."

A few moments later she heard the ancilla's reply. "Partial scanning capabilities functional only, damage sustained from crash. Ground identified as powdery sand."

Paradox frowned slightly. _That's not too good. Could be_ **that** _!_ She looked to her left, upspin of the Halo, and saw the desert end at a point that would take three days of constant running. She looked to her right, downspin of the Halo. And saw green on the far side of the Halo some way up it. A distance that would take a week of constant running at the least. _Days from the end of the desert either direction._ She couldn't know how far the desert extended from their position to the walls on either side of the ring, for all they knew it extended all the way there.

Tone soon jumped down carrying Shadow over his shoulder like one would a plank of wood. He ignored the latter's protests. "It's obvious we're-" Tone saw the vast desert stretch on as far as the eye could see, and saw how far upspin and downspin it stretched. "Stuck in the middle of nowhere and quite lost. We need to find some place, get our bearings, and figure out where to go."

Paradox nodded, she motioned for Riser to follow. "Come with us."

The three continued, Riser sticking closer to Paradox and Tone carrying Shadow like a plank of wood.

* * *

The three came over a sand dune.

_Three hours and…_ "There!" Paradox noticed a structure dead ahead. Unmistakably Forerunner, and appeared to be a small station from the looks of things. A floor high but five hundred meters wide by two hundred meters long.

Tone smiled. "Hopefully someone's there, Warriors or Lifeworkers." Once they were close, Tone noted the designs. "Looks more like some Lifeworker station."

As the group approached the main large set of doors, they knew something was amiss. They didn't see the normal lights, and it was ajar slightly, allowing the sunlight to pour in.

Paradox reached for her Boltshot pistol. "Something's not right, they wouldn't just leave the door open like that." She pulled it off her waist. "Stay close, Riser."

Tone did the same with his own, holding Shadow with his other hand with ease. "I'll cover our rear."

Paradox wedged herself into the crack, and pushed one of the doors open with her free hand, and kicked at it several times. Grinding and creaking was heard. "Looks like no one has been here a while." She entered, sweeping her Boltshot over the area. The only light came from sunlight pouring through the windows and skylights.

The floors and walls were gray, normal Lifeworker station designs. Pillars supported a high ceiling. Numerous terminals were near the pillars and beds lined the walls.

Tone looked around. "Looks like a rest station, for those making long journeys on foot. And considering how harsh the desert can be and considering some species wouldn't take the heat all too well..."

Paradox nodded. "True. And if water sources were far and few between, death by thirst would be likely." Paradox turned her attention to the terminals, and saw one with a faintly flashing display.

She quickly headed to it. "Must still have some juice in it." She pressed the button, and it brought up a Lifeworker's log. She saw the year the log was created in. "Tone, this log is forty years old."

Tone went into thought. "This Halo vanished decades ago, right? Stolen by Mendicant Bias."

Paradox nodded in Tone's direction. "Correct. I don't have a good feeling about this place. We should just keep going."

Tone nodded in silent agreement.

The two holstered their weapons and continued out of the structure.

* * *

The two and Riser continued for more hours, while it was close to morning when they landed, now it was a Halo midday.

Shadow appeared to find a strand of sanity amongst his seething rage. "You fools! You have no idea how important the Human is! He carries a spirit, a spirit that could help us stop the Flood! Mendicant Bias said the Primordial is behind all of this, and that spirit could be the key to stopping it all!"

Paradox couldn't help but glare at their commander. "Say all you want, but we won't let you have your way with him."

As they passed over another large sand dune, more structures were seen, but not Forerunner. With a wooden wall surrounding it.

Paradox was first to speak. "Looks like structures belonging to an indexed species..."

Tone nodded. "Rock formations nearby, we should go there. You stay with Riser, I'll leave the captain nearby. And I'll check the structures out."

"Good idea." Paradox turned her attention to Riser. "How are you holding up?"

Riser looked like the heat was wearing on him. "Terribly hot." He took a drink from the water canteen. "We should rest somewhere."

Paradox turned her attention to the rock formations, and saw a very good sized shadow cast from them. "We should stay there, let Tone check those structures out."

Riser looked up to Paradox. "Agreed."

The group made their way to the formation of rocks. Riser sitting on a flat rock in the shade, while Paradox sat on another rock.

Tone laid Shadow on the ground nearby, in the shade. "Stay quiet, and don't bother Tone and Riser. Or the consequences...will be most dire."

This seemed to work, for their captain stayed quiet.

Tone looked at Paradox. "I'll be heading out, will be back in two hours at most."

Paradox looked at Tone. "Be careful."

Tone smiled. "I will be." He left for the structures.

* * *

For the second time since the crash, Paradox heard her ancilla speak. "Permission _to talk to Riser, clear up the situation a bit hopefully?"_

"Yes." Paradox looked at Riser. "My ancilla wishes to explain some things.

The ancilla projected itself outside of the armor, in the form of a blue female from Riser's people. She too sat on a rock.

Riser looked surprised. "How-"

The ancilla interrupted. "Projected myself outside of the armor, in a form you're comfortable with. And I wish to tell a tale."

Riser looked very interested.

"Very well." The ancilla smiled. "This all started a thousand years ago. Master Builder Faber-of-Will-and-Might came up with the idea for the Halos and had them built. Twelve gigantic rings with diameters of thirty thousand kilometers. The Council told him he had share with the Lifeworkers and the Librarian, in order to to compete with the Didact's plan for Shield Worlds." The ancilla paused. "Following?"

Riser listened intently. "Continue."

"The Halos were favored over the Didact's Shield Worlds. And Faber, without the knowledge of the Librarian, stole information from her regarding Humans and their supposed immunity to the Shaping Sickness, some Humans had it, others apparently didn't. And thus, he used the Halo and the Primordial he transported here to attempt to find the secret. So far, no apparent success." The ancilla paused. "Another disturbing fact is Mendicant Bias, one of the more powerful ancilla who was corrupted by the Gravemind, controlling intelligence of the Flood, also was tainted by the Primordial, who was also working with the Gravemind. And he did the monster's bidding as well. The Primordial is truly ancient, no one knows what it exactly is or how old it truly is, nor is it known how it is working with the Flood or why the Gravemind would allow it to do so without turning it over to its side through infection.

Riser was deep in thought. "Mother and Father of all troubles?"

The ancilla nodded. "You can say that. Is that all?"

"Yes" Riser looked at Paradox. "Troubles from within, huh?"

Paradox looked a bit gloomy. "Yes." She sighed, a big deep one. "It's also the Flood's greatest strength. Our own infighting makes us weaker, and it makes it easier for the parasite to consume all." She turned to Riser. "As you may have noticed, not all Forerunners are like Faber and those who blindly follow him. Some like Tone and I wish to restore our old ways. The way the Mantle should be upheld." She paused in thought. "What Mendicant Bias said back on the Capital...it's sad but true. But we- the Warriors and Lifeworkers primarily- are trying to fix that. It's not easy, nothing is ever easy."

Riser felt a sense of pity for the Forerunners like Tone and Paradox. "Your old ways?"

Paradox thought back to what she had found. "The Mantle is supposed to be a set of guidelines for being guardians of the galaxy. But sadly, the power it gives corrupts easily for those who can't handle it. We're supposed to be the shields for the less developed races, to let them develop and grow to one day stand alongside us. We're supposed to protect them from threats more powerful than they are, like the Flood."

* * *

Tone-of-Sands-of-Time approached the structures. A wall stood around it, with a pair of gates. One of them stood ajar. _Judging from their appearance, this place must have been abandoned for some time._

The Forerunner pushed the gates open.

Inside, was a city of wooden structures. With a central structure at the end of the path.

He continued down the path towards the central structure. _Wouldn't they be made of sandstone? Or clay? Or building materials found in a desert environment?_

He took the Boltshot off his wast and held it at the ready, and proceeded down the path.

As he walked, he saw mounds of sand that strangely looked like they'd been living beings. Ignore _it. Its just a coincidence. Nature playing with us._ "Anyone here? Hello?!"

No answer, just eerie silence and the wind.

Near the central structure, Tone entered one of the buildings, and walked inside. From first observation, it may have been an eatery of some kind, a place to dine on food.

Inside, the wooden floors creaked under Tone's footsteps. Sand covered parts of the floor.

Tone looked at the tables and chairs, and saw the same mounds on and around them on the floor. _Creepy._

He walked to the other side of the room, to a chairs, a table, and drinks behind them that may have been a bar of some kind. The same powder. And drinks sat on the table.

He approached and picked up a drink and shook it gently. No liquid sloshed, and he poured it, only the powder sand fell out. _Been here for at least a few years._ He looked at the nearest bottle on the other side of the table. And saw it had chunks in it. _Looks bad, expired._ He shivered. _What's happened here?_

The Forerunner left the building, and headed to the central structure. _Might hold some answers._ He entered the structure.

Inside, was a scene of chaos. Destroyed tables, chairs, and other objects he couldn't recognize. His eyes laid on the sand, the same mounds, and soon the stairs heading downward.

He walked to stairs and headed on down.

The basement was covered in a thin layer of powdery sand. _How did it get this far in? A_ feeling of unease grew within him. _Can't shake the feeling I've seen this somewhere bad._ He took a step and heard a crunch. He froze and looked down. And bent down on one knee brushed away the powder sand.

Tone's eyes widened.

What he had stepped on wasn't animal bones. But a dead sapient being, a Forerunner. His armor was gone, the powder was in his orifices- eyes, nose, mouth, and who knows where else. And he had been dead for some time, as the skin was very gray and wrinkled, unhealthy, decaying. Bones and dried tissue showed, areas in varying stages of rot and decay.

A shriek resonated throughout the room.

Tone quickly looked up and saw at the center of the room a metal cage. And inside a mishmash of bodies.

The Forerunner carefully approached and gasped.

It moved, and shrieked, the sound drilling into Tone's ears. "Become...us!" It threw itself against the cage bars, rattling them.

Tone-of-Sands-of-Time backed into the wall, and quickly dashed up the stairs, out of the structure, and down the path to the gates.

* * *

Paradox's ancilla had returned to her armor. "We just need to-"

Her sentences was interrupted by Tone's near-panicked yelling. "We need to go! This place, it's Flood powder!"

Paradox returned the look of horror. "Riser, I'll carry you, we have to run fast." She picked up the Human. "Let's go!"

The two Forerunners ran extremely fast. Their armors providing more speed, higher reflexes, and greater ability. They sprinted over dunes of the powder and across flats.

Rise finally asked a question stuck in his head. "Flood powder?" He noted Paradox's firm but gentle grip.

Paradox was first to speak. "A horrible shape-changing parasite, the powder appears to be its most basic form." She looked at Tone for a moment. "How did you know? With our armor scanners not functioning properly..."

Tone's voice was laced with a shudder. "Saw a dead Forerunner in the powder, stepped on him. Must've been dead for days, if not weeks. And saw a cage holding a mishmash of corpses. Some sort of Flood form."

Riser saw they were jumping across gaps with ease only their armor could provide.

Paradox had a lace of unhappiness in her voice. "If anyone comes for us, it'll likely be Faber's forces. Unless the Lifeworkers and Warriors saw us first. And considering how important Riser is to Faber and his attempts at finding the Flood cure..."

Tone smiled. "Don't be like that. I am sure the Lifeworkers and Warriors saw us. They might just be afraid of entering this wasteland. Soon as we get out I am sure they'll greet us."

Paradox was now determined. "Let's hope you're right." She dashed onwards with a bit more speed. Tone keeping pace.


	3. Sickness

Tone and Paradox hurtled over a small mountainside and down its steep slope, running as fast as ever.

Paradox jumped off near the base and landed on the ground followed by Tone. "How many kilometers do you think we ran?"

"I'd say about eighty kilometers." Tone kept pace. He noticed the powder looked a bit more fresh. "What if we're going the wrong way?"

Paradox felt pressure on her body. "Tone, your armor tightening on you at times?

Tone panted a bit. "Yes, not working as well on maintaining my stamina."

Paradox felt it again, this time worse than before. "An armor malfunction?" She tried to contact her ancilla. "Reconfigure the armor, think its the eighty kilometer run doing it." No answer. "Something else?"

Tone nearly tripped and dropped Shadow onto the powdery desert floor.

Shadow had a look of fear. "My armor, its-!" Shadow's armor was visibly tightening on his entire body, becoming tighter very rapidly. "Get it off of me!" A second later, he screamed in agony while his tissue was squished. Shadow started to scream like no Forerunner should. His bones were crushed, before finally his armor violently constricted inward. Purple blood flew out of his mouth and nose. His eyes exploded. What was left was crushed mush.

Paradox was in shock before quickly coming to her senses. "Take the armor off!" She ripped her armor off quickly, tossing it away from her. She looked at Tone and saw he had done the same.

Under the armor, Forerunners wore an undershirt and underpants, in case if they had to remove armor around others. Tone had the same fuzz down the nape of his neck and back of his hands. While Paradox lacked the fuzz on the neck or hands.

Riser had a look of alarm. "Paradox!"

The female Forerunner spun around, and saw that her armor was writhing around, kicking up ashy dust. It lunged at her but she jumped to the left. "It's like our armors are possessed!" She noticed the armors weren't their usual colors, the hardlight parts were glowing sickly green.

Tone's armor had lunged at its wearer and missed, joining Paradox's armor in picking their next target, Riser.

Riser jumped back while the armors writhed, slithering along like snakes. "Bad armor!"

Paradox quickly rushed in to pick up Riser. "We need to get out of here!"

Tone quickly followed. "First we crash into the middle of some Flood cursed wasteland, then our armors try to kill us...we really should've stayed with the Warriors and Lifeworkers."

The two ran fast, armor-less and only in their underclothing. Feeling naked and more vulnerable.

* * *

Paradox and Tone stopped at a flat expanse of powder covered land, and saw how fresh it was. Something foul caught their noses, and they looked in the direction of the oncoming night.

Tone gasped. "Oh no..."

Off in the direction, many, many kilometers away, were mountain like structures. Tall, round, and expelling brown material.

Riser looked at the mountains. "Volcanoes?"

Paradox shook her head. "Spore-peaks." Her voice was laced with fear. "They're how the Flood spread their spores." She turned to Tone. "We need to go, now!"

The two took off running, away from the spore peaks, away from where the wind would blow the spores.

* * *

Day became sunset, and eventually night, clouds covered up the stars, and flood spores drifted in the air.

Paradox coughed and wheezed. _The damn spores, we'll choke!_ She felt her lungs and throat burning. She could no longer run, it hurt too much to do so. She noticed Tone was in a similar state of distress.

Tone coughed violently. "We need to get somewhere, somewhere away from this." He coughed worse and staggered.

Paradox staggered as well and Riser felt too heavy. Her voice was weary with sickness. "Walk alongside us." She let him onto the ground, and continued walking.

* * *

Paradox walked in front, Tone behind her. And Riser behind the two of them.

Riser walked beside them, looking at them with a solemn expression. _Sad. They seemed so strong, now they're without armor, afraid, just like people._ He noticed that with passage of time, Paradox and Tone became sicker and sicker. They were walking like their legs were very heavy.

They were violently coughing and wheezing. Their skin looked very gray and pale at the same time. And they walked slowly, unable to walk straight.

The air had the smell of mold off old fruit, disgusting, and the color of the dusty-green clouds were foreboding, an aura of misery.

* * *

Paradox wheezed and coughed violently, and almost tripped on her severely weakened feet. _We can't die like this! Not after going so far!_ Her lungs felt like they were filling up with the powder. It was clinging to the inside of her throat, nose, and airways as well.

Rain started to fall. Raindrops containing powder carried over from the spore peaks. It begun to shroud everything and even moved in the puddles.

Paradox caught some raindrops on her hand and saw that it was more of the powder inside, which clung to her skin. She coughed again and saw Tone coughing violently, stagger, and fall before picking himself up again with great effort.

Tone saw a rock overhanging. "We should take shelter." He tried to take another step but staggered.

Paradox caught him, and wrung his arm around her neck to try to support him. "Let's get under there, maybe we'll get through this." She wearily made her way to the overhanging and laid Tone against the rocky wall. She sat down beside him.

Tone started coughing violently once again and wheezing worse. "Can't-" he struggled for breath. "Breathe!"

Paradox saw to her horror that every time Tone coughed, powder flew out. And it was dripping out of his nose too. Tone started to gag, unable to take a breath, and clutched his throat, the powder having filled it up along with his airways. He fell back against the rocky wall, dying. Soon, the life left his eyes.

Paradox coughed violently and felt the powder fill up her longs, and now filling up her throat, and airways. _So this is how it ends?_ She gagged and tried to cough the powder out but it stayed, some did fly out. And it dripped out of her nose. She felt herself unable to breath. She felt the powder writhing about inside while her vision faded. Paradox fell back against the rocks, last seeing Riser laying on his back, hands covering his face, and she breathed no more.

Riser went to sleep to get away from the fear, to die unafraid.

* * *

Riser awoke the next morning, and realized he wasn't dead.

He stood up and the powder fell off his skin, it was dry, crusty and dead. The same color as the 'desert' they had originally crash landed in. And smelled of old dung in deep caves.

He looked to where Paradox and Tone were the night before. And they were dead, clotted powder that tried to merge over the night. Their flesh and bones had dissolved. Riser felt sadness within. _The good ones die._ He thought of Paradox and Tone. _Go missing._ He thought of Bornstellar, who was last seen being held prisoner by Faber. _Or exclusive, refuse to be found._ He thought of the Lady, the Librarian, the Lifeshaper herself.

Riser quickly moved onward, determined to get out of the graveyard-desert, lest the powder figures out how to kill him as well.

* * *

Six times the night swept over. Rain would fall nearly constantly. And during the rare moments of clearness at night, shooting stars passed, most likely starships.

After more than a week, he managed to leave the desert. He looked back, and saw, more than a week's journey back, the same foul clouds coming from the spore peaks he had fled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive Criticism is appreciated! 
> 
> And thanks to Hawki for giving constructive criticism, which is why I updated the fanfic to improve it, or at least tried. 
> 
> And two themes I tried to go for was "one bad apple doesn't spoil the whole barrel" and "don't paint a whole group or race or etc. with one brush", both I feel like really good themes to include considering the current situation of things…
> 
> For those who didn't read the Forerunner trilogy, Riser survived due to the Flood's ability to chose to infect or not.


End file.
